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A Review of Marine Mammal Records of Cuba

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A Review of Marine Mammal Records of Cuba Online ISSN: 2236-1057 A review of marine mammal records of Cuba †,* ‡ A RTICLE I NFO Amy D. Whitt , Thomas A. Jefferson , Miriam Blanco§, Dagmar Fertl¶ and Deanna Rees# Manuscript type Review † Article history Geo-Marine, Inc., 2201 K. Avenue, Suite A2, Plano, TX 75074, USA ‡Clymene Enterprises, 13037 Yerba Valley Way, Lakeside, CA 92040, USA Received 06 January 2012 §Acuario Nacional de Cuba, Avenida 1ra y 60, Playa, CP 11300, Habana, Received in revised form 16 March 2012 Cuba Accepted 02 April 2012 ¶Ziphius EcoServices, 8112 Springmoss Drive, Plano, TX 75025, USA Available online 27 January 2014 #Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic Division, 6506 Hampton Keywords: Caribbean Sea, Cuban EEZ, occurrence, Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23508-1278, USA distribution, cetacean, pinniped, sirenian *Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Responsible Editor: Daniel M. Palacios Citation: Whitt, A.D., Jefferson, T.A., Blanco, M., Fertl, D., and Rees, D. (2011) A review of marine mammal records of Cuba. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 9(2): 65-122. http://dx.doi.org/10.5597/lajam00175 Abstract: There has been very little research on marine mammals in Cuban waters. Much of the information on marine mammals in this region is buried in historical and gray literature. In order to provide a comprehensive account of marine mammal occurrence in Cuba’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), we reviewed and verified 659 published and unpublished sighting, stranding, capture, and tagging records. Eighteen extant species and four genera have confirmed records for Cuban EEZ waters. This includes 17 species of cetaceans (three baleen whales and 14 toothed whales) and one sirenian species. An additional 11 cetacean species and one extant pinniped species have been reported, but not confirmed, or may have the potential to occur in Cuban waters. Historical records of the Caribbean monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) are documented in Cuba; however, this species is now considered extinct. The only two species that are seen regularly and considered common in Cuban nearshore waters are the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). Resumen: No hay mucha investigación sobre el tema de los mamíferos marinos en aguas cubanas. La mayoría de la información se encuentra enterrada en la literatura histórica y gris. A fin de proporcionar un informe completo de la presencia de mamíferos marinos en la Zona Económica Exclusiva (ZEE) de Cuba, hemos revisado y verificado 659 registros publicados y no publicados de avistamientos, varamientos, capturas y marcajes. Dieciocho especies existentes y cuatro géneros tienen registros confirmados para las aguas de la ZEE cubana. Esto incluye 17 especies de cetáceos (tres ballenas barbadas y 14 odontocetos) y una especie de sirenio. También se han reportado sin confirmar, o tienen el potencial de presentarse en aguas cubanas, 11 especies de cetáceos y una especie de pinnípedo. Existen registros históricos de la foca monje del Caribe (Monachus tropicalis) en Cuba, sin embargo esta especie se considera extinta. Las únicas dos especies que se ven regularmente y se consideran comunes en las aguas costeras de Cuba son el tursión (Tursiops truncatus) y el manatí antillano (Trichechus manatus). 65 Introduccion mammals of Cuba, we reviewed all available records of Marine mammal occurrence is not well documented for marine mammals in Cuba’s EEZ waters. This paper includes Cuban waters. Although historical accounts are summarized a summary of 659 available records through December 2008 in the older literature (e.g. Cuní, 1918; Aguayo, 1954), no and recommendations for future research efforts. recent comprehensive account of marine mammals of Cuba exists. Most records are based on historical accounts and gray Materials and Methods literature; therefore, verification of records is often difficult. Study Area Very few surveys of marine mammals have been conducted in The Study Area consists of the EEZ waters surrounding this region of the Caribbean Sea. Most of what is known about the mainland of Cuba and an archipelago of more than 3,000 marine mammals in Cuban waters comes from stranding and/ small islands or keys (GDAIS 2004) (Figure 1). Cuba is or capture information from local fishermen. Although these surrounded by deep basins and trenches of the Caribbean Sea, types of records are useful for identifying species presence, they Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and The Bahamas e.g.( do not provide adequate information on species abundance Old Bahama Channel, Windward Passage, Yucatán Channel, and distribution which can be estimated from systematic and Cayman Trench) (Figure 1). The Cuban platform can surveys. Abundance information is particularly important for be divided into four wide-shelf areas, two on the north side determining population trends. One species that is known (Sabana-Camagüey and Los Colorados Archipelagos) and two to have undergone a decline in Cuban waters is the West on the south side (Golfo de Batabanó and the area including Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). The Cuban manatee Golfo de Ana María and Golfo de Guacanayabo). These population decreased dramatically in the late 1800s due to a wide-shelf areas are separated by narrow shelves (Claro et al., targeted fishery (Cuní, 1918). Captures of manatees are now 2002). Cuba has extensive seagrass beds within the coastline’s prohibited in Cuba. However, Cuba maintains a direct live- substantial shelf and shallow waters. Where the insular shelf capture fishery for common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops( is narrow, deep waters are found within a few kilometers (km) truncatus) via annual quotas which are assigned to dolphinaria of land. of various countries within the regulations established by Cuban waters are directly influenced by the Loop, Yucatán, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered and Florida Currents. Circulation patterns off northwestern Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) (Espinosa and Cuba are highly dependent on prevailing winds due to the Orta 2007). To provide a comprehensive account of marine shallow depths, while circulation off the north-central coast Figure 1. The Study Area which includes waters of the Cuban EEZ. 66 is determined mainly by tidal currents. The southern coast and volunteers from 1999 through 2003 on an irregular of Cuba is influenced by a diverse system of eddies (Claro et basis (approximately five times per year). These surveys al., 2002). were completed using the protocols described in Roca and Sedaghatkish (1998) and the GTMO (1996) for manatees3. Sources of Data Survey and opportunistic data collected at GTMO between We collected and assessed all available published and July 1996 and January 2008 are included in this paper. unpublished sighting, stranding, capture (including direct National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)—The NMFS- captures and bycatch records), and tagging records for marine Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Pelagic Observer mammals in Cuban EEZ waters through December 2008. Program (POP), which monitors the mobile U.S. pelagic In some cases, species’ records were only available for waters longline fleet, has collected marine mammal bycatch data directly outside of the EEZ. To provide the most complete for the east coast of Cuba. Most of these records are of account of each species, we discuss records in the near vicinity unidentified cetacean species (e.g. Garrison and Richards, of the Cuban EEZ; however, these records are not included in 2004; NMFS-SEFSC 2004). Several NMFS survey vessels the figures or appendix. Records located on the border of the have transited Cuban waters while en route to other areas of EEZ were treated as occurring within the EEZ. A total of 659 the Caribbean but did not collect data on marine mammals records were compiled from a variety of sources. Some of the due to the lack of Cuban research permits (e.g. Swartz and primary data sources are summarized below. Burks, 2000; Fulling and Clapham, 2004). Published literature—A search of peer-reviewed and non- Other opportunistic sources—Several records of marine peer-reviewed literature uncovered several historical accounts mammals in Cuban waters were obtained from personal of marine mammal occurrence in Cuban waters. For example, accounts and observations. In addition, unpublished data Cuní (1918) provided one of the first reviews about cetaceans from Hal Whitehead (Dalhousie University) are included in captured near the Cuban coast and also included information this paper. No specific survey information was available, but on cetacean strandings and skeletons found in Cuba. Aguayo the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) vocalization study (1954) discussed sightings of several cetacean species in for which these data were collected was described in Rendell Cuban waters and provided general descriptions of other and Whitehead (2003). Additional opportunistic sightings marine mammal species known to occur in Cuban waters. were recorded on oceanographic surveys in the southern Gulf Alayo (1958) listed marine mammal species of Cuba but did of Mexico and the Yucatán Channel in March 1998 (Ortega- not provide specific information on records. Varona (1973) Ortiz, 2002) and on the U.S. Training Ship Texas Clipper in summarized marine mammal records of Cuba but provided June 1991 (Jefferson and Lynn, 1994). Satellite-tagging data general location information instead of specific records of were obtained from the U.S. Minerals Management Service’s
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